Hiking ?

[Ottakee]

Once she hit 14 my daughter referred to any walk over 1.5 miles as the Bataan Death March. No drama here. :rolleyes: I want it noted that she DID survive to adulthood.

Last week this same child was complaining that it was TOO HOT to go on a hike. Way too hot. I assured said child that 46°F with a windchill in the 30s was survivable......Esp. for someone going to southern Florida in 2 weeks on a work project mission trip.

[gardenmom5]

Once she hit 14 my daughter referred to any walk over 1.5 miles as the Bataan Death March.  No drama here.   :rolleyes:  I want it noted that she DID survive to adulthood.

 

she'd get zero sympathy from me.  zero.  and a lecture. my fil survived the real one.  while suffering from malaria.   he said watching the person next to you fall down and be bayoneted  was motivation to stay on your feet.  when he got to camp o'donnell - his best mate who kept him on his feet - died.

 

send her off to do the bataan memorial march.  it's only 26 miles through the white sands missle range. a fraction of distance of the real one.

Edited April 20, 2017 by gardenmom5

[creekland]

Once she hit 14 my daughter referred to any walk over 1.5 miles as the Bataan Death March.  No drama here.   :rolleyes:  I want it noted that she DID survive to adulthood.

 

It's amazing how kids differ.  Mine listened to a middle aged man (in typical health) talk about a long hike to a geocache, then laughed and made it into a family joke when they found out his definition of loooong was 1 mile - relatively flat terrain.  They were nice enough not to laugh while he was there, but it didn't take long once he left.

 

Our preference is in the 5-7 mile range, longer if we have time for it.  For me, terrain now matters since it's tough to do hills anymore.  I think that's one main reason I love beach walks - looong beach walks, esp on uncrowded beaches.  Anything shorter than 5 miles goes by pretty darn quickly unless the terrain varies a bit.

[Liz CA]

2 miles per hour is a comfortable speed for me on a trail that allows to be careful about uneven terrain and occasionally stop to look at something or take a picture.

3 miles per hours is a comfortable speed for walking on a flat paved trail while chatting, without stopping, but not trying to walk particularly fast.

 

With little kids, it might be half a mile per hour ;)

 

Thank you. This is helpful. I can figure out now that I walk between 2-3 miles most days. Flat terrain on dirt roads through orchards.

[ktgrok]

What makes hiking different than going for a walk?

Elevation (ups and downs and sometimes climbing is required). I could take a walk by the shoreline and enjoy the tide pools but I won't call that hiking even though it is still in nature.

 

 

Not all hiking trails are created equally, I like to see streams, waterfalls, or rock out croppings. A dirt path with some trees is ok but not as interesting to me.

 

 

I don't advise either of you hike in Florida..sigh. All we have are flat, dirt paths with trees if you are lucky. 

[Seasider]

I don't advise either of you hike in Florida..sigh. All we have are flat, dirt paths with trees if you are lucky.

There are actually some bluffs up along some coastal bays in the northwest. But yes, lots of flatness. But you never know what sort of wildlife you might encounter!

[stephanier.1765]

I don't advise either of you hike in Florida..sigh. All we have are flat, dirt paths with trees if you are lucky. 

 

Oh, I don't know. We really enjoyed hiking in the Okefenokee Swamp Park. The park entrance is in Georgia but the swamp straddles the FL/GA line.

 

We also enjoyed Myakka River State Park where the swinging bridge is located.

 

But yeah, not a lot of changing scenery. Lots of birds to watch, gators to wow at, snakes to watch out for, and armadillos to skirt around.

[Arcadia]

I don't advise either of you hike in Florida..sigh. All we have are flat, dirt paths with trees if you are lucky.

I enjoy strolling so it won't be an issue. I grew up where crocodiles, pythons and cobras aren't rare and I am used to killing house cockroaches so it won't be that scary either.

[Rachel]

I don't advise either of you hike in Florida..sigh. All we have are flat, dirt paths with trees if you are lucky.

Well walking along the beach is fun but hiking in FL kind of scares me. There's a little girl doing the whole FL trail and you have to wade through miles of swamps (complete with alligators). I like mountains (or at least hills) better.

[gardenmom5]

I don't advise either of you hike in Florida..sigh. All we have are flat, dirt paths with trees if you are lucky. 

 

or the dfw area of texas.  I gave dd and dsil a couple books on hikes within 60 miles of dfw . . . .   . . the most strenuous hike was 10 miles with a 300 elevation gain.  four months previously they'd done one on mt. rainier that was 8 miles with 4600+ elevation gain.

[Ottakee]

Wednesday evening I took my girls.on another one of our park challenges (going to hit all 38 in our county this year). Part was a gentle walk through the woods. The part up and over the sand dunes to Lake Michigan was 664 steps....Or about 55 flights of stairs. I am counting that as a hike.

[Carol in Cal.]

We are so lucky here.

Lots of decent 'wild nature' parks within an hour's drive, and the gorgeous Sierra Nevada mountains only 4 hours away.

Plus no nutsy humidity and few bugs.  And if it's very hot, there are trails with shade.  If it's colder, there are trails in the sunshine. 

And the beaches are only 45 minutes away (but they are not warm water beaches.  Still beautiful though.)

[Laurie4b]

What is hiking? I always see people say hiking is their favorite exercise, or what they want to do on their day off, or even for vacation. Where exactly do you go hike? Is it walking anywhere that's not a road? Do you take a backpack and snacks? How far do you drive to go hiking? How long is the hike? What makes hiking different than going for a walk?

Thanks!

 

I hike in state parks,nature preserves, recreational trails. 

 

Hiking involves walking in nature-no road. I "walk" in my neighborhood. I "hike" in the nearby state park. 

 

Hiking in nature gives additional health benefits to the same amount of exertion done in a suburban or urban setting. (You can google forest bathing (from a Japanese term) to get a start on the science of outdoor walking.)

 

What I take depends on where and how long I plan to hike. I do a lot of 1 hour hikes where I know I have cell phone coverage and just take my cell phone.

 

I drive between 5 and 20 min to hike on a routine basis. 

 

I always hike on mountain vacations. The drive is often an hour, but I am gong for waterfalls or vistas.

 

ETA: I found all the great trails locally after we had gone on a vacation out West and I had googled hiking trails along the way so we'd have a break in long stretches of driving.  When I got back home, Iit dawned on me that I could do the same thing locally!  You can try googling hiking trails + your area and seeing what you come up with!

Edited April 22, 2017 by Laurie4b

[Guest]

or the dfw area of texas. I gave dd and dsil a couple books on hikes within 60 miles of dfw . . . . . . the most strenuous hike was 10 miles with a 300 elevation gain. four months previously they'd done one on mt. rainier that was 8 miles with 4600+ elevation gain.

Send them to Big Bend NP. *wink*

Edited April 22, 2017 by Kinsa

[Laura Corin]

To me actual hiking involves a dirt trail (i.e., not paved or gravel) and at least a bit of elevation change. Depending on local geography, elevation isn't always available. I just like to break a little sweat to know I was out for more than a stroll.

 

Or no trail at all: just heading out into all that publicly-hikeable private land in Scotland.

 

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-mountain-stream-in-the-ochil-hills-above-dollar-in-clackmannanshire-8112118.html

 

ETA: one of my friends met Prince Charles and a couple of plain-clothes policeman when they were all out hiking on royal lands in Scotland.

 

http://gouk.about.com/od/royalty/p/walkbalmoral.htm

Edited April 22, 2017 by Laura Corin

[Nan in Mass]

For me, it is a hike when we carry water and gorp and it is a walk when we carry nothing but the dog's lead. We take walks off the pavement through the woods all the time, so that isn't part of my definition. Walks are usually less than 2 hours and less than 5 miles, but I would say tbe real difference is the presence of gorp. : )

 

Nan

[wintermom]

For me, it is a hike when we carry water and gorp and it is a walk when we carry nothing but the dog's lead. We take walks off the pavement through the woods all the time, so that isn't part of my definition. Walks are usually less than 2 hours and less than 5 miles, but I would say tbe real difference is the presence of gorp. : )

 

Nan

 

The food makes the hike! I can't do peanuts anymore, but chocolate is still a key factor for enjoyment in the outdoors.  :laugh:  

[Ottakee]

Dd and I went on a walk/hike today that was 2.3 miles long.....But included over 960 stairs (about 80 flights) up and over the sand dunes. Those steps about do me in.

[gardenmom5]

Send them to Big Bend NP. *wink*

 

I looked up some trails . . . sounds good.

I'd also looked at palo duro canyon state park (up near amarillo for those not familiar with it.)  not as much vertical - but beautiful area.

[Outdoorsy Type]

I say "hike" when I'm on a trail, especially one with rocks or an incline. I say "walk" if it's on a road or maintained path. The distance doesn't matter to me.

[Ottakee]

I looked up some trails . . . sounds good.

I'd also looked at palo duro canyon state park (up near amarillo for those not familiar with it.) not as much vertical - but beautiful area.

Palo Duro is beautiful. I just did the small mostly level or gentle grade trails with my girls a few years ago.

[Rachel]

I looked up some trails . . . sounds good.

I'd also looked at palo duro canyon state park (up near amarillo for those not familiar with it.) not as much vertical - but beautiful area.

My brother loves Palo Duro, there are few trees but it is breathtaking.

[Targhee]

For me hiking happens surrounded by nature (natural setting) on trails (not paved), and the journey is as much a reason to go as the destination. I think it's easier to access a hike in some places than others. I live in the West of the US with lots of public lands (NFS, BLM, NPS, State Parks, Conservation areas, etc) and hikes are abundant, within minutes of me and up to 3 hours drive for a day hike with no stay over. When I lived in DC about as close as I could get was Rockcreek Park. Unless I wanted to drive far.

 

ETA I take snacks and water if the hike is over a mile or so. I carry a backpack to carry my water, food, first aid, layers of clothes, etc. I sometimes use trekking poles on long hikes or when backpacking.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Targhee